The Alumni Storytelling Playbook: 4 Tactics That Work

There’s something uniquely powerful about hearing a former student say, “This is where it all began.”

Alumni stories are one of the most authentic and relatable ways to show prospective students what your university experience can lead to. They build trust, spark inspiration and help future applicants imagine themselves walking the same path.

But alumni storytelling has evolved. It’s no longer just about a paragraph on a webpage or a guest talk at an open day. Today, it’s about creating meaningful, ongoing conversations that spotlight your graduates in engaging and accessible ways.

1. Bring Alumni Into the Room — in Person or Online

Events are still one of the best ways to showcase alumni, but it’s all about the experience now — not just the occasion.

Think about how you can create moments where alumni stories come to life for prospective students and parents. That could be:

• A live alumni panel at an open day or online webinar, where former students share what life was really like at your uni – and how it shaped where they are now.
• A showcase event for alumni entrepreneurs, creatives or researchers to display their work and talk about their journey.
• Even an Instagram Story takeover where an alum walks followers through their typical workday, giving a glimpse into life after graduation.

Imperial College London does this brilliantly with their dedicated alumni zone during their annual alumni weekend — a space where graduates can exhibit innovations, startups and success stories.

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2. Let Alumni Tell Their Story on Video — Their Way

Video remains one of the most engaging formats out there. And the beauty of it? It doesn’t need to be highly polished to be powerful.

A short, honest clip filmed on a phone can often resonate more than a scripted, high-production shoot. What matters is the story being real, relatable and relevant.

Here are a few ideas to try:

• Quickfire Q&As on TikTok, YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels, sharing top tips or reflections from alumni.
• One-to-one interviews where graduates talk through how their university experience shaped their career — perfect for YouTube or your website.
• Live sessions on Instagram or LinkedIn, where prospective students can ask questions in real time.

The University of Cambridge’s YouTube channel is a great example — it features interviews with alumni across all walks of life, showing just how varied and exciting the post-university journey can be.

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3. Build an Alumni Story Hub That Feels Alive

Rather than hiding alumni stories deep in a faculty page, bring them together in a space that feels dynamic and inspiring — a go-to destination for real graduate experiences.

What could you include?

• Written spotlights that read more like mini magazine features than formal bios.
• Guest blogs where alumni share honest reflections, from first-job nerves to lessons learned along the way.
• Career journeys by theme — for example, "Alumni in Tech", "Sustainability Champions" or "Creative Careers".
• Interactive content, like timelines, maps or career trees, to show the paths your graduates take.

The key? Make sure the stories reflect the full diversity of your alumni community — in background, discipline, ambition and achievement.

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4. Use LinkedIn To Keep Stories Flowing

LinkedIn is more than just a networking tool — it’s a goldmine for alumni engagement.

If you haven’t already, try using:

• LinkedIn’s Alumni Tool to explore where your graduates live and work — and surface inspiring career journeys.
• Alumni shoutouts in your feed to celebrate milestones like new jobs, awards or launches.
• Dedicated alumni groups for peer networking, mentoring and sharing success stories.

You can also invite alumni to take part in LinkedIn Live conversations, talking about everything from career pivots to how their studies shaped their thinking. These sessions don’t just highlight outcomes — they show values, growth and real-world impact.

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Final Thoughts

Today’s applicants are looking for more than course descriptions — they want to hear from real people, living real lives, doing meaningful things. Your alumni stories have the power to make those connections.

So whether it’s through a quick video, a heartfelt blog post or a panel event, don’t just tell future students what’s possible — show them.

Looking for a better way to manage and share alumni data across your recruitment channels? Full Fabric’s Foundation helps you do just that, making it easier to create experiences that really stick.